Another cleaning question

[North Bender]

While my .45 Colt Pre-War is on order, I'm pre-staging my ammunition.  I'll start reloading once I've accumulated enough brass.

I've ordered a pretty nice pistol - fire-blued screws, extra .45 acp cylinder, 2-piece walnut grips ... I won't be able to order one as nice in the near future.

I've been buying a variety of ammo, including black powder rounds (Goex, some others).

I want to keep this pistol as new looking as possible.  So my question, not knowing anything about black powder  - if I shoot such stuff will this pistol still clean up, or should I dedicate another .45 to the black powder?

Thanks for any hints.

[Fox Creek Kid]

I was just reading that a good way to clean Black Powder is using hot to boiling hot water.

That is the worst thing you can do as it will cause flash rusting & you'll be crying over it. Gentleman, there is a wealth of info on cleaning BP in the Darksider forum here on CAS City. I recommend you go there for BP cleaning questions as they will answer all your questions. 

[North Bender]

Thanks Kid,

I did not phrase the question well at all.  I'm a voracious reader of the various forums here.  Read all about water, soap, Murphy's Oil Soap, Ballistol, alcohol, and other ingredients.  I've shot corrosive primers in autoloaders for years and I'm comfortable with cleaning hydroscopic residues.

My question is will black powder stain or otherwise harm the finish on a Pre-War.  This pistol will not be used heavily, a Rodeo will get most of the work.  I want to keep this one clean looking.

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[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

Howdy NB,
I doubt if moderate use of black powder will do any real damage to the finish but, if you want to keep the gun as pristine as possible, I would use smokeless just to be on the safe side.
CJF

[North Bender]

There's not much traffic here, huh?

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

Yes, it gets a little too quiet around here.  Wish more people like you would jump in and start posting, just to keep things interesting.

[Frank Dalton]

I've been using substitutes (APP & Shockley's Gold) in both of my SAA's for over a year and have noted no change in condition.

[North Bender]

Thanks Frank.

Capt. John, once my USFA comes in I'll heat up this forum a bit.  Right now I'm a six-gunner wannabe.

[Doc Sunrise]

Even when you have USFAs in the home, you are still a USFA wannabe!  North Bender, I am sorry if I steered you wrong on BP cleaning, I haven't shot BP enough to say from personal experience, I shoot smokeless.  I did have a chance to clean a sixgun that was shot in the 80's and never cleaned.  It did have a slight rust spot but other than that it cleaned up well.  I believe if you take care of your sixgum the way it should be, you will be just fine.  As pretty as they are, they were built to shoot.

[Deadeye Don]

Well said Doc.   USFAs are not simply beautiful guns.....they are guns meant to be shot.  I will not buy a gun that I dont plan to shoot.  Safe shooting.  Deadeye.